So many people want to know when the next Avatar movies are due, but a James Cameron film never comes out until it’s good and ready.
Last time we heard anything, Cameron was working on the script, or scripts we should say, and there have also been reports that part two and three would be shot back to back, which would make more sense financially. (Not that those movies will come cheap by any means.)
In addition, Cameron bought some land in New Zealand, where the next Avatar movies will be made, and it won’t be such a long commute to Peter Jackson’s Weta Studios, who will provide the CG for parts two and three. Now Giant Freakin Robot tells us that Zoe Saldana has given the press a brief Avatar update now that she’s out promoting Star Trek Into Darkness.
“I think that they’re doing a part two and a part three and they’re probably going to shoot it at the same time,” Saldana said. “If we just do two and then wait, I’ll probably be 45 or 50 by the time we get to part three. It takes a long time, it’s a very hard process.”
What stands out to us is that Saldana feels the sequels will start shooting early next year, the same period of time that Avengers 2 will be shooting, not to mention the JJ Abrams Star Wars may be rolling at the same time as well. Robot tells us Fox wanted Avatar 2 for Christmas 2014, but now it might be out “as early as Christmas 2015 instead.”
If Avatar 2 is indeed ready by 2015, it could make a hell of a year for genre films with Avengers 2, and the next Star Wars movie. What we do know is the next Avatar won’t be ready any time soon, although once we see some on the set photos, at least we’ll be able to figure out an estimated time of arrival.
What should really knock ‘em dead with the next Avatar movie is part of it takes place underwater, and an underwater performance capture camera is currently being developed. As Cameron’s producer Jon Landau told Empire, “We could simulate water [in CG], but we can’t simulate the actor’s experience, so we are going to capture performance in a tank.” Whenever the next Avatar movies are ready, we’re really looking forward to seeing what Cameron has up his sleeve this time.
